Mopping-machine



F. A. ESPELAND.

MOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 18, 1920.

1,893,100, Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

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F. A. ESPELAND.

MOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT1I8, I920- Patented 001 11,1921.

92 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrice.

MOPPING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Application filed September 18, 1920. Serial No. 411,101.

1 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN A. Esrn- LAND,a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oakes, in thecounty of Dickey and State of North Dakota, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Mopping-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to an improved mopping machine under thebroad class of brushing and scrubbing machines of the hand operated typefor domestic use possessing many of the characteristics of ma nipulationas the well known carpet sweeper or cleaner. The primary object of theinvention is the provision of a device of this character for moppingfloors, &c., to cleanse them in an efficient and thorough manner, whichmay be manufactured at comparatively inexpensive cost, which is durable,and may be manipulatedwith facility. By the combination and arrangementof the operating parts of the device I am enabled to produce a compactand comparatively small implement which may be manipulated underfurniture or beneath otherwise inaccessible objects, for mopping orcleansing the floor or other surface in a thorough and satisfactorymanner.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consistsessentially in a carrier and endless mop or mat combined with means formoving or wiping the mat or mop over the floor to be cleaned, and inassociating therewith means for wringing or rinsing the mop of dirtywater anddepositing it in a receptacle provided therefor. And theinvention further consists in certain novel features and combinations ofparts in connection with the wringing or rinsing device and with themeans for gathering and.

depositing the dirty water in a receptacle or reservoir carried by themachine, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention where in the parts are combinedand arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for thepractical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine embodying myinvention, the handle for pushing or pulling the machine being shown asbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device, on line2- 2 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the device on line 3-3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the gathering troughs and connections,detached, for conveying or passing the dirty water from the wringing orrinsing rollers to the receptacle therefor. 7

- Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the detachable container or reservoirfor dirty water. Fig. 6 is a detail, sectionalview, enlarged, at line 66of Fig. 1 showing the outlet from the reservoir.

While I shall refer to the device herein as a hand operated device forhousehold or domestic use, it will be apparent that the mopping machinemay be power driven and made of various sizes to suit differentconditions. In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in thedrawings I have depicted a device for domestic use which may be'movedbackward and forward across a floor or other surface, similar to themanipulation of a carpet sweeper or cleaner, and the device is operativeon both strokes, to mop up or wipe a previously wetted or dampenedsurface, and gather the dirtywater in a receptacle carried thereby. Thedevice is supported on and operated by two pairs of wheels 1 and 2,fixed on their respective shafts or aXles 3 and 1, the wheels being ofsuitable size and type, and acting as drive wheels or traction wheelsfor the operating parts of the mopping machine, and the axles or shaftsare journaled in the opposed side plates 5, 5, which form an openhousing for the machine. These plates may be of wood or preferably ofmetal, and a rectangular shaped frame 6, with a rubber bead, joins theplates to form a rigid supporting structure for the device. In additionbraces and coverings may be utilized if desired, to strengthen andinclose the operating parts, and other featuresnotessential to aclearunderstanding of the invention, may be incorporated in the device. Asseen in Fig. 1 the device is of a lowdown structure and has a U-shapeyoke 7 and handle or rod 8 to be grasped, by the hand. .01 the ope ator,and y m ans 9i the pivot 9 of the yoke, a flexible connection is made tothe housing at each side thereof in order that the machine may be pushedand pulled in alternate directions, running on its wheels 1 and 2.

Each of the axles 3 and 4 has fixed thereon a wooden roller as 10, .10,located between the side plates of the housing and formed with endannular flanges 11, the rollers and their flanges being of less diameterthan the traction wheels and elevated slightly above the floor orsurface to be cleaned. The mop member 12' is an endless band or strip ofabsorbent, porous material whichpasses under the rollers 10. 10 andbetween their. end flanges which latter retain the mop and guide it inits movements, and the mop is'suspended and supported over a pair ofupper idler rollers 13 and 13 journaled on the axles 14 and 14:. Thusthe lower stretch of the mop is held down to the floor between thespaced actuating rollers 10 and 10, while the upper stretch of the mopis suspended between the idler rollers 13 13, the latter havingguide'flanges 15 at their ends complementary to the flanges 11 of theactuating rollers. The mop is actuated by rollers 1 and 2, as themachine is moved across the floor which causes the mop to wipe acrossthe surface. Thus the endless mop is moved around the outside peripheryof its four supporting rollers, bring ing into use all parts of theouter surface of the mop and enhancing the durability and wear of themember 12.

The complementary pairs of rollers 10- 18 and 10'13 are located at thefront and rear of the machine, between the sideplates, and between thesepairs of rollers are located at the approximate center of the housing apair of wringer rollers 16 and 17, be

tween which the upper stretch of the mop passes and the soiled or dirtywater is squeezed outof the mop by action of these rollers which areturned by movement of the mop.

The wringer rolls 16 and 17 are fixed to or may revolve on theirrespective shafts 18 and 19, the former having a stationary bearing inthe two side plates of the housing, and the latter or under roller-shafthaving a movable bearing, to insure a flexible friction contact of theupper and lower wring-er rollers with the mop which passes therebetween.For strengthening and adding rigidity to the housing and for providing astable support for the wringer rollers l utilize a top central,transverse brace bar 20, of flat metal in the form of an inverted U-shape strap with its legs 21 secured, as by screws to the outer facesof the side plates of the housing, and the bar 20 extending The ends ofthe lower shaft 19 of the wringer device are fixed to a pair of invertedL-shape slide plates 22, slidable in contact with the outer faces of thelegs 21 of the brace 20, and the side plates and legs of the brace arevertically slotted, as in Fig. 3 to permit movement of the shaft 19. Theslide plates 22 are vertically movable and guided within the flanges 23integral with or secured to the legs 21, and vertically disposed guiderods 24 "are supported in the slide plates and complementary fixedbrackets 25 attached to the housing, both members being perforated forreception of the vertically disposed. rods. Between the heads of theguide brackets 25 and the slide plates 22 are interposed springs 26coiled about the rods 24., resting on the brackets and at their upperends in close contact with the slide plates. By means of the springs theroller 17 is held in close contact with the underface of the travelingbelt or mop and the mop is squeezed against the upper roller 16 of thewringer device, to force out the water that is wiped up by the mop as itpasses over the floor in the manner indicated. The moisture is thussqueezed out of the upper stretch of the mop at both the upper side andthe lower side of the mop, between the wringer rollers.

The moisture or water eliminated from the mop, at its upper surface iscaught in a pair of troughs 27 and 27 located at op posite sides of thewringer rollers, over the upper stretch of the mop and resting thereonas shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 1 it will be seen that these troughs haveadjacent openings or months, and tops, the latter to prevent escape ofthe water, and the bottom of the troughs lieon the top of the mop tointercept water from the mop. The troughs are disposed parallel with themop, and as the mop is supported between the wringer rollers at anattitude higher than the periphery of the idler rollers 18 and 13, itwill be apparent that the portions of the upper stretch of the mopdecline or slant downward from the wringer rollers. Thus the water iscaused to run down or be shed from both sides of the rollers 16-17, isintercepted by the front edges of the troughs,

and is gathered in the troughs as indicated.

The troughs are rigidly joined together by arched straps 28 28' securedat their outer edges near the ends of the troughs and perforated at 29on the transverse axis of the machine for the reception of complementarythreaded stud bolts 29, attached to and projecting above the brace bar20. Between the brace bars and the straps are interposed springs 30, andabove the straps butterfly nuts 31 are threaded on thestuds,thusproviding a resilient but stablesupportforthe troughsfrom the bracebar. 20, and'afiording means for adjusting the position of the troughswith respect to the mop and wringer rolls.

At the ends of the troughs are provided delivery spouts 32 opening attheir upper ends into the trough and disposed longitudinally of themachine, and these spouts are arranged somewhat at an angle to thetroughs and converge toward the transverse center of the machine. Thedelivery spouts are designed to empty the troughs and con vey watertherefrom to the reservoir 33, and they are positioned at the outeredges of the mop, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, to perform thefunction of guiding the mop or the upper stretch thereof between theidler rollers and the wringer rollers.

The reservoir 33 is a rectangular receptacle, preferably of metal andlocated transversely of the mop machine in position to rest upon theupper surface of the lower stretch of the mop, and hold this wipingportion of the mop on the floor to perform its required functions. Thusin Fig. 2 it will be seen that the mop, throughout the major portion ofits wiping stretch is held to the floor by the rollers 10, 10 and thebottom of the reservoir 33.

The reservoir is detachably fastened inside the housing by means ofperforated lugs or ears 34 arranged in alined pairs at the front andback of the reservoir, and pins or screws 35 are passed through the sideplates of the housing, with heads 36 at the outer sides of the plates 5,to enter these ears which form sockets, and support the reservoir at itsfour corners. The reservoir is disposed beneath the wringer rollers andthe delivery spouts to receive the dirty water from both above and belowthe up er stretch of the mop, and inclined plates 3 37 with verticalflanges 38, 38 extend longitudinally of the reservoir, leaving an openspace between the flanges as seen in Fig. 2.

The dirty water thus drops from the underside of the upper stretch ofthe mop and is conveyed from the upper side through spouts 32 to thedeclining top plates 37 37 of the reservoir, and thence flows into thereservoir through the open space between the flanges 38, 38. The plates37, 37 and flanges or partitions 38, 38 form an effectual closure forthe reservoir to prevent splashing of the water from the reservoir, asdo also the tops of the troughs 27, 27 perform this function for thetroughs, thus providing the device with means for preventing anypossible outlet for the dirty water except through the nozzle 39 adaptedfor this purose.

p The nozzle is located at one end of the reservoir, as indicated inFigs. 1, 5, and 6, and it is equipped with a closure device that isdetachable and adjustable, and carried on the exterior of the nozzle.The closure device includes a pair of semi-circular clamp straps 40 and41 adapted to form a collar or sleeve to surround the nozzle and beclamped thereon, and a gate or metal disk 42 provided with a cork lining43 is hinged to the device at 44. A spring 45 on the hinge pin 44 holdsthe cork-lined gate closed over the orifice of the nozzle, and clampbolts or screws 46 are utilized to securely clamp the closure device onthe ozzle. When desired, the gate 42 may be opened and the contentspoured from the reservoir, as will be understood.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a mopping machine the combinationwith a housing,an endless mopping belt and a wringer device, of a pairof troughs above said belt at the sides of said device, a reservoirbeneath the device, and delivery spouts from said troughs to saidreservoir for the purpose described.

2. In a mopping machine, the combination with a housing, an endlessmopping belt and a wringer device, of means for gathering dirty water atthe sides of the wringer device above the belt, a reservoir below thebelt and means for conveying said water from the gathering means to saidreservoir.

3. In a mopping machine, the combination with a housing, an endlessmopping belt and a resilient wringer device, of resiliently supportedmeans above the belt for gathering water at the sides of the wringerdevice, a reservoir beneath the belt and means for conveying said waterto said reservoir.

4. In a mopping machine, the combination with a housing, an endlessmopping belt and a resilient wringer device, of a pair of 0pposedgathering troughs at the upper surface of the belt to receive water fromthe wringer device, supporting studs on a part of the housing,perforated straps connecting said troughs and passed over said studs,supporting springs between said housing and straps, a reservoir beneaththe wringer device, and conveying spouts at the ends of said troughsadapted to empty into said reservoir.

5. The combination in a mopping machine with its housing and wringerdevice and a mopping belt, of a pair of gathering troughs resting on theupper face of the belt, perforated straps rigidly connecting saidtroughs, a cross brace on the housing having a pair of studs passedthrough said perforated straps, springs between said brace and straps,and means on said studs for adjusting the position of the troughs withrespect to said belt.

FRANKLIN A. EDPELAND.

